YumSugar

Taste Test: Chuao Firecracker Chocolate Bar

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:15:52 -0700

Last year, I sung the praises of a small chocolatier, Chuao, for its unique and delicious flavor combinations, like strawberry balsamic and spicy Cabernet caramel. I had a chance to try their newest bar, the Firecracker, and it was no exception.The chocolate smelled typical enough - bittersweet and slightly smoky. But once I took a bite, my experience took a turn for the bizarre. First, I tasted creamy dark chocolate then gradually intensifying heat and a tingly, burning sensation in the back of my throat. And all of a sudden, out of nowhere, loud crackling and popping, at which point I realized there was not only an explosion of flavor, but also a physical explosion of some kind. To find out what the cracker of the Firecracker was, read more.

Turns out the appropriately-named chocolate bar is made of dark chocolate, enrobed in chipotle chiles, salt, and popping candy - the kind I loved in the third grade. I can only liken the bizarre, oddly addictive experience to going on a roller coaster for the first time and wanting to go again. For those of you who are game (it is not for the unadventurous eater or faint of heart), I encourage you to go for a ride. Does spicy chocolate with popping candy sound like something you'd want to try?

I <3 Chuao ChocoPods

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:10:09 -0700

While at the fancy foods show back in January, I had the opportunity to meet some of the lovely folks at the San Diego based Chuao Chocolatier. They were launching a new product called ChocoPod and they wanted to know if I would be interested in trying some. Would I be interested? What kind of question is that!? Of course I would be interested! So fast forward a few months and a lovely little package arrived containing six Chocopods, one in each flavor: Passion, Modena, Picante, Candela, Banana, and Dulce de Leche.

The ChocoPod is an individually wrapped "bar" (I put bar in quotes because it's really more like a flattened chocolate bon-bon) that is shaped like a cacao pod. The chocolate is either 41% or 60% cacao and encompasses a small caramelized center.

Immediately we decided to ruin our lunch appetites and try a few of the flavors. First up was PartySugar's vice: Dulce de Leche. The Dulce de Leche was nice, but plain, sort of like a fancy thinner version of a Carmelo square. Next up was Banana which was also tasty, but not exactly memorable. It was a caramel center with a kiss of banana flavor. Next was the ridiculously delectable Picante (spicy cabernet caramel). OH MY (and yes, that did need all caps) this was tasty stuff. It was a nice cabernet flavored caramel with a lovely spicy bite that lingered in the back of your throat. It was definitely a winner. After those three, we took a little break, rested our palates (and let the spicy cabernet linger) and started back up after lunch. To read about the rest of them, read more

The first one we tried after lunch was the Candela (spicy macadamia praline), which had a nice and light crunch, however neither of us really tasted the spicy. The praline however, was finely crushed, and I really enjoyed the unexpected crunch. After the candela, we moved on to the Passion (passion fruit caramel). These were dark chocolate pods filled with a smooth passion fruit flavored caramel. The fruit paired nicely with the caramel, but was not overwhelming. Finally we tasted the Modena (strawberry & balsamic caramel), and once again: OH MY. The initial bite hits you with a sweet strawberry flavor, but the lingering hint of balsamic vinegar blends so well that you'll wonder why you haven't had this flavor combination before. Seriously worth tracking down and trying.

Overall, we really enjoyed the Chuao ChocoPods. Right now they're only available in 4 flavors (the semi-forgettable Banana & Dulce de Leche are not yet available) and unfortunately, you can only buy them in single-flavor packs of six (no sampler pack available for purchase). If you had to choose one to try I personally say hunt down the Picante, however PartySugar thinks you should hunt down the Modena - either way you can't go wrong. Oh and if you're wondering, each piece weighs 11g and is about 60 calories, not exactly good for you, but a nice bite that isn't too sinful.

And, just for the record, we're not one to fall victims to a bribe quite so easily. Sure we love free chocolate (who doesn't), but really these guys are worth tracking down. In fact, I went out the next night and bought a box to share with some pals. You should be able to find them at places like Whole Foods for $4.95 a box (6 pieces) or purchase them online.

Chuao Chocolatier

rhymeswithkenny — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:44:10 -0700

Menu For Hope 4 - Donate to Win Great Prizes!

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:06:17 -0800

This year is the fourth year that food bloggers around the world have gotten together to raise money to support the UN World Food Programme. The event is called Menu For Hope and last year they raised nearly $63,000.

Organized by Chez Pim, the raffle event runs for 10 days - now until Dec. 21 - and this year all money collected will go to the UNWFP's school lunch program in Lesotho, Africa.

So how do you donate and why would you want to?

Well, besides the warm fuzzy feeling you'll have inside, donating money will actually give you the chance to win a bunch of awesome prizes. Food bloggers around the world have come up with great prizes for you to choose from. Each raffle ticket costs $10, and you choose which prize you'd like to try and take home. The prizes cover the complete foodie gamut: cookbooks, meals out, kitchen gadgets and everything in between.

Here are some of the prizes I'd like to win:

EU31: A personal tour of elBulli kitchen laboratory with Ferran Adria
UE19: NYC Pizza Tour for 2 from SliceNY
UW10: Dinner for 2 with wine pairing and a private tour of Manresa biodynamic garden with the chef, David Kinch from Chez Pim
UW03: Your choice of three cookbooks from Ten Speed Press, from the Bunrab
UC06: Four Indian cookbooks with spice tin, spices, Indian teas, and assorted dals from Tigers and Strawberries
UW26: $100 Gift Certificate to Chuao Chocolatier from Candy Blog
AP07: A bag of the world's hottest chillies, homegrown in Nagaland, India from Rambling Spoon
EU17: Kitchen Aid stand mixer with ice cream attachment + David's latest cookbook from David Lebovitz

This is just a small sampling from a huge list of prizes. Be sure to check it out and donate to win! Visit Chez Pim for a full list of prizes and details on how to enter.

YumSugar Gift Guide: Memorable Gifts for Mom

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:27:33 -0800

I don't know about your mom, but mine is impossibly difficult to shop for. She buys what she wants when she wants it, making crossing her off my Christmas list a difficult task. However I've been brainstorming and have come up with a few great ideas for my mom and yours. If you're looking to wow your mom, start off by stuffing her stocking with these adorable Gloveable gloves and Chuao tasting chocolates, then really wow her with a raclette party grill. For a few other ideas, scroll through below.

How to Cook Everything: 55 Recipe Cards ($13.22)	Gloveables Gloves - Red Gingham & Bow ($14)
Tasting Chocolates ($19.95)	Taika Cups & Saucers ($50)
Tea Ceremony Gift Box ($75)	Raclette Party Grill ($118)

What's Yummy This Week

YumSugar — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 13:14:21 -0700

This week we switched over from Passover planning (be sure to check out the pics) and headed into Easter mode. We even had ideas for both an Easter brunch or dinner. Oh and let us know what your favorite Easter candy is.
Food & Wine magazine announced their Best New Chefs of 2007 and held a big party to celebrate. The past year's best new chefs and several members of the Top Chef brigade ended up catering the soiree.
Burger King surprised everyone and announced a new welfare policy.
I decided to treat the office with these cute springtime lemonade cupcakes.
Eggs eggs eggs. We had tips on how to boil them, poach them and even how to transport them.

Got a keen eye for design? Pepsi is challenging customers to design a new can for them. The winner could get $10k.
Friends called and they're on their way? Don't fret, we've got some simple plans for an impromptu dinner party.

One of my favorite celebrities on the planet, Alton Brown, wins a Peabody Award.
There was also chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Don't miss the review of Chuao ChocoPods, the world's first chocolate billboard, or the giant creme egg.
And finally, we gave away a YumSugar Tee, you can win one next (submit something to the Savory Sights Group, winners will be chosen at random). Don't feel like playing along? Check out our brand new YumSugar Store where you can buy shirts, aprons, tote bags, coffee mugs and more!